Appeals to keep DHB local

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern must rule out axing the South Canterbury District Health Board as part of sweeping healthcare system reforms, Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon says.

His comments come after Tuesday’s publication of the extensive New Zealand Health and Disability System Review, which made many recommendations including cutting the number of DHBs from 20 to about eight-10.

‘‘After two years of work the Government’s health sector review has come back recommending a gutting of democratic and local oversight of health services in regional New Zealand,’’ Falloon said.

At this stage, no indication has been given on which DHBs might be amalgamated but SCDHB is among one of the five smallest and least specialised in the country.

‘‘Halving the number of district health boards would almost certainly see the loss of the South Canterbury DHB, which by the Government’s own metrics is one of the best performing DHBs in the country,’’ he said.

‘‘The South Canterbury DHB meets or exceeds the performance of the neighbouring Canterbury DHB in the majority of health outcomes that the Ministry of Health measure.’’

He called the welcoming of the review by Health Minister David Clark ‘‘extremely disappointing’’ given what it will mean for ongoing health services in South Canterbury.

‘‘A merger with Canterbury would leave us at the whim of decision-making dictated from Christchurch, and almost certainly poorer health outcomes,’’ Falloon said.

‘‘The prime minister needs to pull her minister into line and rule out axing our local DHB,’’ he said.

South Canterbury DHB chief executive Nigel Trainor has yet to respond to requests for comment.

Timaru Grey Power president Jock Anderson said any attempt by the Government to reduce the DHB or merge with another such as Canterbury would be a step backwards and a “grossly undesirable move.”

“Once you start to take effective daily control away from the local community you run the risk of interfering with the level of service that’s provided.

“I don’t think any move to reduce our services would be in the best interests of South Canterbury, bearing in mind we have a slightly higher older population who rely more on a good local functioning health service.’’

Anderson described the potential move as a form of regional centralisation which was not in the best interests of South Canterbury which, like other provincial areas, was growing.

He also said an elected presence needed to be retained on the DHB.

‘‘A merger with Canterbury would leave us at the whim of decision-making dictated from Christchurch, and almost certainly poorer health outcomes.’’ Andrew Falloon MP